Cleaning article

ABSTRACT

A cleaning and polishing article broadly includes a body fitted for either a left hand or a right hand, and including at least two reversible coverings, each having opposing faces for treating a surface, the reversible coverings being attached to the body to form a plurality of pockets disposed on the body of the cleaning article, the reversible coverings being configured to be individually reversed to an opposing side of the body to expose an opposite side of one of the other reversible coverings for treating the surface.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

Gloves and mitts for hands are known for cleaning and polishingfurniture, automobiles and the like. These conventional cleaning glovessuffer from various drawbacks. For instance, as explained in U.S. Pat.No. 6,275,995, once a cleaning membrane of the described glove issoiled, a user must switch hands to use a fresh side of the cleaningmembrane. Furthermore, once the other side of the cleaning membrane issoiled, the cleaning glove must be washed or replaced to continue thetask at hand. If the surfaces to be cleaned are large or numerous, theuser will have to employ numerous cleaning gloves, pausing atinconvenient intervals to switch hands.

A cleaning article is needed in the industry which provides users withmultiple cleaning segments in order to clean and polish large, multipleareas without having to constantly change the cleaning article or switchhands. The prior art has failed to provide such a cleaning article,which is economical to manufacture and is sufficiently durable to becleaned and reused multiple times.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure is directed in general to a cleaning article foruse with either a left hand or a right hand. The components of thecleaning article are simple to manufacture and use.

As used herein, the term cleaning may mean, but is not limited to,cleansing, scrubbing, wiping, washing, sanitizing, dusting, polishing,waxing and like applications. Also as used herein, the term article maymean a glove, a mitten or the like that may be universally worn oneither the left hand or the right hand.

In general, the cleaning article may be formed of a microfiber material,and more specifically, may be non-woven, woven, spunbond, synthetic ornatural material. These materials may be relatively soft and smooth forpolishing applications, or the materials may be stiffer and textured forscrubbing and heavier cleaning applications.

The cleaning article broadly includes more than one reversible layer orcovering. At least two of these reversible layers are attached to amitten-like body of the cleaning article, except that the reversiblelayers will be unattached at one point on the cleaning article in orderto be reversed to expose additional layers, as explained in detailherein.

More particularly, in one aspect of the disclosure, a cleaning articleincludes a body having a first side, a second side, a terminal end and aproximal end. The proximal end has an opening through which a hand maybe inserted. The cleaning article also includes a reversible coveringassembly, which consists of at least two reversible sheets. Eachreversible sheet includes opposing faces for treating a surface withouthaving to change hands. The reversible sheets are attached to the bodyto form pockets on the body of the cleaning article. The reversiblesheets are reversable to an opposite side of the body to expose one ofthe faces of one of the other reversible sheets for treating thesurface. In this example, the cleaning article is shaped to fit a lefthand or a right hand.

In another embodiment, a cleaning article includes a mitten-shaped body,which consists of at least two reversible sheets disposed on the body.The reversible sheets overlap each other and are independentlyreversible to expose, in total, at least four faces.

In a further embodiment, a cleaning article includes a universal bodyadapted for either a left hand or a right hand, and includes means forsequentially exposing at least six cleaning faces. The means forsequentially exposing are attached to the universal body and may bemoved from one side of the body to another side of the body to exposethe cleaning faces without having to move the cleaning article toanother hand. The means for sequentially exposing may include at leastthree cleaning sheets, each having opposing faces, in which the threecleaning sheets are attached to the body to form pocket areas.

In yet another embodiment, a cleaning article is shaped to fit a lefthand or a right hand and for provides multiple cleaning layers. In thisexample, at least three cleaning sheets are stacked proximate each otherand attached by at least one common point to the cleaning article. Eachof the three cleaning sheets have a first face and a second face and areconfigured to be individually adjusted from a first side of the cleaningarticle to a second side of the cleaning article to expose the firstface followed by the second face without having to move the cleaningarticle to another hand.

The various embodiments of the cleaning article, and equivalentsthereof, may also includes a gripping cushion disposed within the body,such removably in a pocket in the body, or sewn or permanently attachedtherein.

The reversible sheets of the various embodiments may be made of amicrofiber material, cotton, a non-woven material, a woven material andcombinations of these and other materials having a variety of texturedsurfaces; e.g., relatively smooth for dusting and polishing, or stifferand more abrasive for tougher cleaning jobs

Other advantages of various embodiments of the cleaning article will beapparent from the following description and the attached drawings, orcan be learned through practice of the disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A full and enabling disclosure, including the best mode thereof to oneskilled in the art, is set forth more particularly in the remainder ofthe specification, including reference to the accompanying figures, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a perspective exploded view of a cleaning article according toan aspect of the disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the cleaning article as shown in FIG. 1,particularly showing a cushion in phantom within the cleaning articleaccording to an aspect of the disclosure;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the cleaning article as in FIG. 1,particularly showing the article in an intended use according to anaspect of the disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the cleaning article shown in intendeduse;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a user reversing a covering of thecleaning article according to an aspect of the disclosure; and

FIG. 6 is an elevational view of the cleaning article similar to FIG. 3,but showing a fresh reversible covering of the cleaning articleaccording to an aspect of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

Detailed reference will now be made to the drawings in which examples ofthe present disclosure are shown. The detailed description usesnumerical and letter designations to refer to features of the drawings.Like or similar designations of the drawings and description have beenused to refer to like or similar parts of the disclosure.

The drawings and detailed description provide a full and writtendescription of examples of the disclosure, and of the manner and processof making and using these examples, so as to enable one skilled in thepertinent art to make and use them, as well as the best mode of carryingout the disclosure. The examples set forth in the drawings and detaileddescription are provided by way of explanation only, and are not meantas limitations of the disclosure. The present disclosure thus includesany modifications and variations of the following examples as comewithin the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

The figures that are about to be described in detail generally show acleaning article that broadly includes a mitten-like body havingmultiple reversible coverings attached thereto in layers. Themitten-like body is generally soft and flexible for manipulation by auser when the user's hand is inserted in the body. The multiplereversible coverings generally are of a soft, microfiber or cotton-likematerial and/or a textured and stiffer material for robust cleaning ofsurfaces such as wood and metal surfaces. Due to the mitten-like bodyand multiple reversible coverings, the cleaning article may be used oneither left hand or right hand for multiple cleaning and/or polishingtasks without having to change cleaning or polishing materials or hands.These and other advantages and benefits of the disclosure will be betterunderstood from the following description and exemplary methods ofoperation.

Turning to FIG. 1, according to an aspect of the present disclosure, acleaning article is designated in general by the element number 10 andgenerally includes a body 12 with a proximal or wrist end 14 and adistal or terminal end 16. As shown in FIG. 1, the body has a first side18 and an opposing or second side 20. Attached to the body 12 aremultiple reversible coverings, layers or sheets; i.e., a reversiblecovering assembly 22. In this example, the body 12 includes threereversible sheets 22A, 22B, and 22C. As shown, each of the sheets 22A,22B, 22C are attached about the body 12 in a layered fashion relative toeach other but are unattached at one area, generally designated asunattached pocket area 23. Briefly, unattached pocket area 23 permitsthe user to reverse the sheets 22A, 22B, 22C, i.e., to move them to anopposing side of the body 12, to expose fresh sides of the coverings22A, 22B, and 22C, as explained in greater detail below.

FIG. 1 further shows that the reversible sheet 22A includes a firstlayer or face 26 and an opposing or second layer or face 28. The othercoverings 22B,C have similar opposing faces. As explained below, themultiple faces of the multiple sheets may be reversed for continuouscleaning and polishing of underlying surfaces without having toconstantly substitute the cleaning article 10.

Also shown in FIG. 1 is a strap or loop 30 which the user may employ tohelp ease pulling or sliding the wrist end 14 over the user's hand. Asshown in this example, the wrist end 14 is sleeve-like and may haveelastomeric material sewn, embedded or weaved into a cloth-like materialsuch that the cloth-like material projects about a user's wrist toprotect the user's hand and wrist from irritation. The elastomericmaterial also gathers or urges the wrist end 14 about the user's wristso that the cleaning article 10 fits comfortably without sliding off theuser's hand.

With reference now to both FIGS. 1 and 2, a cushion 24 may be attachedor insertable within the body 12, as indicated by a bold directionalarrow in FIG. 1. The cushion 24 may provide additional structure for auser to grip while using the cleaning article 10 and/or the cushion 24may serve as additional structure such that the cleaning article 10 hasa greater point bearing surface area for cleaning an intended object(not shown). The cushion 24 may therefore be a sponge-like material orit may be less flexible material such as a hard rubber item, dependingon the desired application. In this example, the cushion 24 is circularin shape to complement the generally circularly shaped cleaning article10. However, the cushion 24 may be a variety of shapes to suit a varietyof shapes that the cleaning article 10 may be.

More particularly, in the example shown in FIG. 3, a user's hand H isinserted through an opening 32 in the wrist end 14 of the cleaningarticle 10, using the loop 30 as shown in FIG. 2 to pull the cleaningarticle 10 onto the hand H. As clearly shown in FIG. 3, the first face26 of the reversible sheet 22A is now positioned for cleaning orpolishing a surface.

Turning to FIG. 4, after the first face 26 of reversible sheet 22A hasbecome soiled, or the user decides that one of the other reversiblesheets 22B,C—which may be made of a different material or textureddifferently—may be needed, the user may then grip the cleaning article10 internally by bending fingers of the hand H in a direction indicatedby the bold directional arrow and as shown. In this example, the bentfingers of the hand H temporarily secure the cleaning article 10 toprovide leverage to reverse the reversible sheet 22A as described indetail below with respect to FIGS. 5 and 6.

FIG. 5 shows that the user has gripped the reversible sheet 22A at theunattached pocket area 23 and is pulling the reversible sheet 22A in adirection indicated by a directional arrow. Here, an end of thereversible sheet 22A at the pocket area 23 is brought towards and overthe terminal end 16. Thus in this example, the soiled face 26 of thecovering 22A is placed against the body 12 and the fresh face 28 isexposed. Also shown, the clean reversible sheet 22B is also exposed, andas shown in FIG. 6, either a face of the sheet 22B or the face 28 ofsheet 22A may be used for additional cleaning, polishing, or otherapplications, depending upon the type of material from which covering22B is made. For instance, the cleaning article 10 may be rotated aboutthe hand H to employ the face 28 of sheet 22A, as shown by thedirectional arrow, after which the article 10 may again be rotated touse the face of the sheet 22B. Alternatively, each first face of each ofthe sheets 22A, 22B, and 22C may be used, flipped sequentially asdescribed above until all are first faces are used, then the secondfaces of each of the sheets 22A, 22B, and 22C may be utilized in turn.Those skilled in the art will instantly appreciate that the number ofsheets are not limited to three sheets having a total of six faces. Forinstance, a fourth sheet or additional sheets may be added to thearticle 10 to provide, e.g., eight or more faces.

While preferred embodiments have been shown and described, those skilledin the art will recognize that other changes and modifications may bemade to the foregoing examples without departing from the scope andspirit of the disclosure. For instance, various durable materials can beused for the various components of the cleaning article describedherein, additional sheets or coverings (more than three) may beemployed, and the cleaning article may be formed in a variety of shapessuch as oblong, circular, star, or rectangular. It is intended to claimall such changes and modifications as fall within the scope of theappended claims and their equivalents.

1. A cleaning article, comprising: a body having a first side, a secondside, a terminal end and a proximal end, the proximal end defining anopening therein through which a hand may be inserted; and a reversiblecovering assembly consisting of: at least two reversible sheets, eachincluding opposing faces for treating a surface without having to changehands, the reversible sheets being attached to the body, thereby forminga plurality of pockets disposed on the body of the cleaning article, thereversible sheets each configured to be reversed to an opposite side ofthe body to expose one of the faces of one of the other reversiblesheets for treating the surface.
 2. The article as in claim 1, whereinthe cleaning article is shaped to fit a left hand or a right hand.
 3. Acleaning article, comprising: a mitten-shaped body consisting of atleast two reversible sheets disposed on the body, the reversible sheetsoverlapping each other and being independently reversible to expose, intotal, at least four faces.
 4. The cleaning article as in claim 3,wherein the cleaning article further comprises a gripping cushiondisposed within the body.
 5. The cleaning article as in claim 3, whereinthe reversible sheets are made of a microfiber material.
 6. The cleaningarticle as in claim 3, wherein the reversible sheets are made of cotton.7. The cleaning article as in claim 3, wherein the reversible sheets aremade of a non-woven material.
 8. The cleaning article as in claim 3,wherein the reversible sheets are made of a woven material.
 9. Acleaning article, comprising: a universal body adapted for either a lefthand or a right hand; and means for sequentially exposing at least sixcleaning faces, the means for sequentially exposing being attached tothe universal body and configured to move from one side of the body toanother side of the body to expose the cleaning faces without having tomove the cleaning article to another hand.
 10. The cleaning article asin claim 9, wherein the six cleaning faces are made of one of amicrofiber, a non-woven material, a woven material or combinationsthereof.
 11. The cleaning article as in claim 9, wherein the means forsequentially exposing include at least three cleaning sheets, eachhaving opposing faces, the three cleaning sheets being attached to thebody to form pocket areas.
 12. A cleaning article, shaped to fit a lefthand or a right hand, for providing multiple cleaning layers, whereinthe improvement comprises: at least three cleaning sheets stackedproximate each other and attached by at least one common point to thecleaning article, each of the three cleaning sheets having a first faceand a second face and being configured to be individually adjusted froma first side of the cleaning article to a second side of the cleaningarticle to expose the first face followed by the second face withouthaving to move the cleaning article to another hand.